Down Memory Lane - From the Log Books #15

[Guest TOSGcentral]

MEMORY LANE #15

 

 

Settling Down In Germany.

 

 

 

A few years went by in Germany after the war before gliding really got going again. The allied military clubs were quite widespread but operating primarily pre-war and wartime German types. This allowed some involvement for the German populace, particularly in airworthiness and airframe woodworking skills on aging gliders.

 

 

The revival of the German gliding movement and a new manufacturing base had a few key elements going for it: There was a longstanding German involvement in soaring so there was a widespread experience base to draw from once gliding became again possible for civilians. Perhaps more importantly were the German University Akaflieg development departments and they were soon back in full swing breeding an entire new generation of engineers and designers that would soon make Germany the dominant gliding power again.

 

 

We saw little of the evolutionary transitional types that emerged in the UK. Rather, when the manufactures got going once more they introduced new ranges of types, even if some of these were in fact evolutionary in nature.

 

 

The two principle manufacturers for club supply were Schleicher and Scheibe.

 

 

Schleicher hung onto plywood construction for a while and was producing the Ka2 trainer but by the mid 1950s there was a production division that saw the introduction of steel tube fuselages, that were primarily employed in utility club gliders while the more steamlined wooden fuselage was continued for higher performance single seaters.

 

 

Scheilcher’s basic club fleet emerged as the Ka7 tubular fuselage trainer supporting the Ka8 tubular fuselage entry level single seater, then the all wood Ka6 which offered performance, higher badge flights and competition in the Standard Class.

 

 

This was a very well balanced progression with no large jumps and no nasty surprises for the growing new glider pilots. Some intelligent design and market planning saw this range later evolve into the ASK13 trainer supporting the Ka18 entry level single seater (which was an extended wing and higher performance Ka8) and the Ka6e being a developed Ka6cr. This planning saw Schleicher able to bridge the gap until the advent of the fibre glass types without much expenditure on a progressive range of totally new types. The following is a look at some of them.

 

 

Ka8. Tube steel and fabric covered fuselage with conventional high mounted wood and fabric wings. The early ones had the canopy as a ‘horse collar’ affair with a small blown bubble hood large enough for the pilot’s head. Consequently quite large side windows were mounted so there was light onto the instrument panel. Later versions went for a full bubble, side hinged arrangement that worked far better although I liked the earlier ones.

 

 

The type was perfectly designed for it’s niche. It took an excellent winch launch but aerotowed without drama as well. It was light which made it good in weak lift European conditions. The glide angle and penetration were nothing great but the glider could get you your Silver C with little problem.

 

 

Cockpit size was getting slightly marginal at 6’ but I survived 5.5 hours in one on the Dunstable ridge (watching the tigers and bears at Whipsnade zoo getting larger as the ridge lift weakened) and was not too stiff when I got out.

 

 

Stalling and spinning were docile with ample warnings and the airbrakes, while not savage, could get you comfortably into a small paddock. Probably a bit too light for Aussie conditions where a bit of weight and penetration helps and you do not get bounced around so much – but more than capable of extending your soaring season in the Southern states and you could soar one all year around in Queensland.

 

 

I flew several Ka8s here and there over the years and have always liked them.

 

 

Ka6cr. This was the most built of the Ka6 series and was a lovely little 15 metre machine that was as popular with private owners as it was with clubs. It was light, easy to rig and trailer, had reasonable penetration and a 30:1 glide angle. Over 1400 were made.

 

 

Handling was docile and matched well with the Ka8 that it followed although some German clubs made the leap directly from the Ka7 two seater to the Ka6 with no problems. Like the Ka8 the cockpit was getting marginal for taller pilots and the canopy was a bit tight-on but not as bad as the early Ka8s.

 

 

Ka6e. I do really love this glider and it is one of my favourites. Along with the Standard Cirrus, it is one of those gliders where once aloft you feel that you have put it on rather than got into it! The machine follows everything that you do with the controls instantly and lightly – the aircraft really becomes an extension of yourself. So it was not a machine for crass ‘pudding stirrers’ and more care had to be exercised with conversion checking.

 

 

The Ka6e was basically a Ka6cr that had been refined, lowered and the performance enhanced a bit. The canopy was larger and more streamlined and you sat in it somewhat more reclined than the earlier version. This shortened up leg room a tad more and so (not commonly known) a few ‘long nose’ versions were built. This was almost imperceptible visually from the outside and ,while I flew both versions, I did not notice much difference inside either. On the other hand I just fitted anyway so there was not much pressure.

 

 

But there were some very significant design changes as far as piloting was concerned. The glider had an all flying tail without anti-balance tabs – so it was exceedingly light on pitch control. The elevator trim system was of the spring tensioning variety (which I loathe) but was at least a lever mounted on the front of the stick with a friction knob. It was all a bit academic because control forces were so light that I never really used it.

 

 

The Scheibe Camp.

 

 

This was not nearly as clear cut as the Schleicher effort. The main structure was plain but resulted in quite a few types emerging in parallel streams.

 

 

The two seat trainers were directly developed from the Mu13E prewar two seater and became the successive Bergfalke range. The Mu13 single seater was the founder for the ‘entry level’ club single seaters and became the Spatz range that also comprised a number of successive models ranging from around 13 to 15 metre wing span. In parallel with this more performance was catered for via the Zugvogel range that culminated in the SF27 but these gliders remained at or around the 15 metre Standard Class size.

 

 

All the Schiebe types standardized immediately on fabric covered tube fuselages with some fibre glass nose panelling and conventional wood and fabric wings.

 

 

Scheibe also went into parallel development of self launching gliders and travelling motor gliders – but I will deal with that sector elsewhere as in itself there are several complications.

 

 

Spatz. As said above, there were several types of these. The early ones were shoulder wings and mainskid only. They were small, very light and with neither much glide nor penetration – but soared extremely well and served well as first single seaters for clubs.

 

 

I (briefly) owned a C Spatz. This was after the debacle of the failed Kranich purchase but before I actually had my hands on the Minimoa. One of my old clubs in Germany were selling theirs. I knew it well and had done quite a bit with it, both flying and airworthiness and they only wanted a couple of hundred quid for it and the trailer. So why not? It would give me something to fly while sorting out the Min after I had got it.

 

 

I picked it up and, as I was over there with a bit of time, hooked it on the car and disappeared to South Germany for a week (I could not stay away from that place!). This was an ideal touring set up – the glider was light and entirely suited to just wandering about and dropping in at any airfield that took your fancy and begging a winch launch.

 

 

I learnt a bit though! The trailer was open and I got caught in a thunderstorm. Next morning when I rigged I got a bit suspicious and could not put my finger on why. I soon found out! The tailplane, vertically mounted on the trailer, was full of water. Fortunately the tailplane leaked when moved and I found out before flight. Flying with that weight aft would have totally ruined my day! So that stuffed that day of flying while I drained and gave the tailplane time to dry out. There were plenty of other interesting things to do though so it was OK.

 

 

I returned via the club and had some people I wanted to see again so I left the glider with the club to fly over the weekend. Things went wrong. I had said just local fly it so they had an extra seat to use. But some clown let a first Silver C cross country go away in it. After launch he found he had no ASI (later it was demonstrated that a spider had moved into the system) and with thousand feet of runway and several hundred acres of mown grass to return to – he nevertheless set off.

 

 

He wound up chosing the smallest paddock he could have probably found in Holland (tiny little strawberry patch fresh ploughed and planted so it was very soft), panicked about stalling on approach so added heaps of knots on for the wife and kids, realised that he was going out of the other end so put it down hard on the main skid at gawd knows what speed.

 

 

The mainskid stopped straight away but the glider went straight onto its back, shedding the wings in the process. As already mentioned, it was a shoulder wing design and he was extremely lucky. Sure he broke both legs but fortunately the nose angle was steep enough when the wings let go for the main spar to go up his back and half scalp him – but not take his head off! But that was the end of that C Spatz.

 

 

So once more I was handed back my cheque and returned home empty handed.

 

 

L Spatz 55. I did not fly this although I should have done a lot of flying in it. The Spatz was growing up. Now it was 15 metres, had a high wing and a wheel and was beginning to sniff around as competition to the Ka6. Some aspects of the following tale make you wonder about the ‘What If’s’ of Life and Fate.

 

 

The German police club at Butzweilerhof had one and our club, with our two T31s and two Grunau 2bs with no wheels were in envy of it. It took a beaut launch and was always away soaring.

 

 

Anyway it was offered to us free – or almost. All the police wanted was one of the militart surplus (but almost unused) Ford trucks we had to mount their new Tost winch on. Yipee! We were going to get a real glider at last and it would not cost a cent!

 

 

The powers that be just donated the truck and did not take the glider in exchange!

 

 

I think this was a bit of a ‘political move’ because the RAF base had really stirred up the local police big time over the preceding month or two.

 

 

There were two main events. The first was some RAF low life (not a member of the gliding club) getting thoroughly plastered and going into the centre of Cologne which was a nice plaza with lots of large fountains in it. This worthy then commenced to empty a giant economy packet of washing detergent into each of the fountains. The results were spectacular and there were lots of bubbles all over the place.

 

 

Not content with this, when the police arrived, he took cover and held them off for half an hour with a starting pistol that may have been firing only blanks but made a satisfactory bang.

 

 

He was damn lucky not to have been shot dead. But Cologne’s finest were far from amused – so that all got very sticky.

 

 

The next gripping episode was a straight out pub punch up. Two of our guys got embroiled with differences of opinion about life, the universe and all that, with 17 German youths.

 

 

This was a totally unfair match. The two RAF chappies were the two hardest nuts on the base. They were both built like tanks and both were RAF Rugby players so were fit. One came from the less salubrious part of Glasgow and the other from Newcastle’s counterpart. Neither liked being stirred up! 16 of the German youths had to be hospitalized and our two just went back to drinking.

 

 

It took a bit for the RAF to get them out of the German jail and into one of their own so things were getting a bit tight on current Anglo-German relations!

 

 

So the Cologne Police Gliding Club got a free truck and RAFGGA Butzweilerhof Gliding Club did not get the L Spatz.

 

 

The aftermath ‘What If’ happened a few months later. The L Spatz collided in a thermal with one of our T31s flown by our CFI and one of our solo pilots. The T31s tail got chopped off half way down the rear fuselage and the L Spatz lost the wing that did the deed. All three people were killed on impact and it was very gruesome. I lost two good friends that day and the CFI’s wife and young family stood and watched it happen.

 

 

“If†we had got that L Spatz those circumstances could not have happened. But perhaps others could – so never we will ever be able to measure the times of our days or what the future holds. All we can do is be as knowing and as professional as we are able for today.

 

 

SF26. I am still not sure whether this was part of the Spatz family or one of the Zugvogel line. It seems to have been an oddity although there was nothing either odd nor particularly brilliant looking about it. The appearance was rather like that of an aggressive Ka8.

 

 

We had a couple in Germany RAF clubs and I took a few rides in them mainly to see what they were like.

 

 

They were not spectacular machines at all but neither were they witches – just run of the mill club aircraft with few vices and not brilliant performance, but not too bad for the time either.

 

 

Later on I heard there had been airworthiness problems with them as they aged. They had a laminated main spar and if this got wet often enough then it delaminated. Not good!

 

 

SF27. This was the last of the Zugvogel range and was very much intended to be a competitor to the Ka6. It had the in-flight performance but was a bit of a ‘lead sled’ and especially on the ground was not easy to handle, nor was it easy to rig. It also lacked the visual appeal of the Ka6.

 

 

Scheibe went on with the SF27 to turn it into a self launching sailplane with retracting engine. I will come to this machine later in the series and have a story of insight about one.

 

 

This really ended Scheibe’s development run. They then moved primarily into motor gliders and stuck with their success using tube steel fabric and wood - with the one exception of a glass fibre two seater that appears not to have been overly successful.

 

 

To round this off – the other main turning point was the several German manufacturers who rapidly emerged who did not primarily cater for club gliders but were ever striving for the currently best competition sailplanes – many of which would become club level machines via becoming non competitive, on the second hand market and some that were later deliberately designed for club level flying once the club market had moved into ‘glass’.

 

 

But more on those and the motor gliders later as we still have a few countries to revisit to see how they were faring.

 

 

Getting bored yet?

 

 

[BigPete]

Just keep writin' Tony, and we'll keep readin'

 

regards

 

 

[Tony Johnson]

Just keep writin' Tony, and we'll keep readin'regards

[Tony Johnson]

Tony, my name is Tony Johnson and was a member of the Gliding club at Butzweilerhof when the accident happened and also lost a good mate who I joined up with as a Boy Entrant in Jan 1962. His name was John McIllwaine we both got our A and B Certificates together. It was his first aero tow and the CFI at the time, John Wombwell told three of, Brian Milne, John, and myself to flip a coin to who should have the tow. Brian went to his funeral in Belfast. A very sad occasion and if I remember the other pilot was the CFI from Bruggen and his wife was on the airfield expecting their child. As you say a very sad day. But on a lighter note I must say that many a good night was sent at the German police club. Canu also remember that the OC of the club was a guy called Sqdn Ldr Bunnie Diprose whose wife used to be a Blue Bell dancer in London. Fond memories of Halcyon days.

 

 

[Riley]

Tony, my name is Tony Johnson and was a member of the Gliding club at Butzweilerhof when the accident happened and also lost a good mate who I joined up with as a Boy Entrant in Jan 1962. His name was John McIllwaine we both got our A and B Certificates together. It was his first aero tow and the CFI at the time, John Wombwell told three of, Brian Milne, John, and myself to flip a coin to who should have the tow. Brian went to his funeral in Belfast. A very sad occasion and if I remember the other pilot was the CFI from Bruggen and his wife was on the airfield expecting their child. As you say a very sad day. But on a lighter note I must say that many a good night was sent at the German police club. Canu also remember that the OC of the club was a guy called Sqdn Ldr Bunnie Diprose whose wife used to be a Blue Bell dancer in London. Fond memories of Halcyon days.

Tony

 

It seems you aren't aware so I'm unhappy to advise that the inimitable Mr Hayes passed away about three years back. A great loss to Australian recreational aviation.